Foolish Gloating

Published:PravdaNo. 40, May 8 (April 25), 1917.

      Published according to the text inPravda.Source:Lenin
	  Collected Works,

      Progress Publishers,1964,

      Moscow,Volume 24,

      pages223-224.Translated:Isaacs BernardTranscription\Markup:B. BagginsandD. WaltersPublic Domain:Lenin Internet Archive

      1999

      (2005).You may freely copy, distribute,
	display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and
	commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
	Archive” as your source.•README

Rabochaya
      Gazetagloats and crows over the recent resolution of the
      Central Committee which has revealed (in connection, be it
      noted, with the now published declaration of the representatives
      of the Bolshevik group in the Soviet) certain disagreements
      within our Party.

TheMensheviksmay gloat and crow as much as they like. It does not worry us in
      the least. The Mensheviks have no organisation.ChkheidzeandTsereteliare one thing—they are ministers without portfolios; theOrganising
      Committeeis another thing—they are Social-Democrats
      without a policy; the “defencists” are a third thing—they
      supportPlekhanov.Martovis a fourth thing—he will not support the loan. Small
      wonder that people who have neither an organisation nor a party
      crow and caper light-heartedly at discovering a fault in
      somebody else’s organisation.

Wehave no reason to fear the truth. Yes, comrade workers, the
      crisis has revealed certain shortcomings in our organisation. We
      must set to work to correct them!

Thecrisis revealed a very feeble attempt to move “slightly
      leftward” of the Central Committee. Our Central Committee did
      not yield, and we do not doubt for a moment that harmony within
      our Party is already being restored, a harmony that is
      voluntary, intelligent, and complete.

Everyday proves the soundness of our line. To put it through
      effectively, the proletarian masses must bethriceas
      well organised as they are now. Every district, every block,
      every factory, every military company must have a strong,
      close-knit organisation capable of actingas oneman. Each such organisation must have direct ties with the
      centre, with the Central Committee, and those ties must bestrong, so that the enemy may not break them at the first blow;
      those ties must be permanent, must be strengthened and tested
      every day and every hour,so that the enemy does not catch
      us unawares.

Comradeworkers! Let us build a strong proletarian mass
      organisation everywhere, from the bottom up, both among the
      working-class mass and in the army, and let us start lt
      immediately. We shall not be put out by the malicious glee of
      our enemies, we shall not be daunted by occasional errors and
      shortcomings. We shall correct them. The future is working for
      us.